500KM Yamaha MT-09 Review

[RedQualia]

I guess I was becoming bored with the Ninja 650 after riding it for 4-5 years. It had also accumulated a fair number of kilometers, and so I began looking for a maybe newer, hopefully bigger, bike. I wanted to keep things at least semi-affordable, so I wasn't interested in paying a big import tax for any bikes not manufactured in Thailand. Various bikes considered, then, included the Kawasaki Z800, Ducati Scrambler, KTM Duke 690, Yamaha MT-09 and MT-09 Tracer, Honda CB and CBR 650, and Suzuki V-Strom. Most of the 650s are at or under 300,000 Baht, though the 650 V-Strom is running about 365,000. The Z800 and Ducati Scrambler are around 375,000-380,000. The MT-09 is 399,000, while the MT-09 Tracer ("adventure bike") is 479,000. It was easy for me personally to rule out many of these bikes. The Z800 is fairly heavy, for example, with many appearing in the second hand market soon after purchased (why?). While there is now a big Suzuki shop in Chiang Mai, I'm still not convinced that Suzuki has any dedication to the market in Thailand (they pulled out once before). Too, the V-Strom is a 650, same as my Ninja was. The CB® 650s have pretty good power for the size, but also, still "just" 650s. (Besides, no salesperson at the big Chiang Mai Honda shop seemed interested in talking to me when I stopped in.) I'm not really a fan of the Ducati Scrambler, though thought it could work. Unfortunately, the bike seemed underpowered to me when I rode it, compared to the Ducati I had back in the world. The KTM turns out to be a fairly expensive single cylinder. Pass. That left the Yamahas for my consideration. The MT-09 is not the most attractive bike in the world. The MT-09 Tracer is more attractive, but looking at them side by side, I just wasn't seeing an extra 80,000 Baht worth of value above the basic MT-09. Several reviewers also reported high speed wobble problems with the Tracer. Hmm... And so over time, the MT-09's looks grew on me. Maybe it would need rearsets, lower handlebars, aftermarket exhaust, etc. Even so...

And so, I now have a basic (non-Tracer) 2016 MT-09. After 500KM, I'm finding it to be a bit of a mixed bag.

I hadn't expected to like the riding position very much. Generally, I prefer the Ninja's riding position. But I've found the MT-09's position to be more comfortable than I expected. The bike is quite light at 188Kg or 414 lbs wet. (The Ninja 650 weighs 211 Kg, or 465 lbs, wet; the Z800 is 228Kg, or 505 lbs wet). It also simply rolls more easily than did the Ninja. By that, I mean pushing the bike around in the driveway while sitting on it is easier than the Ninja, for example, even when the Ninja had new wheel bearings.

The upright (hypermotard-like?) riding position, low weight and easy rolling/pushing combine to make the MT-09 quite nimble, and the easiest big bike of any kind I've ridden when it comes to maneuvering between stopped cars and pickups at traffic lights. As easy as doing the same on many small motorbikes, I'm sure, and perhaps even easier than say, on a PCX150. The Ninja 650 was generally less maneuverable in stopped traffic, and I often wouldn't even try, whereas I would on the MT-09. And so I've decided to hold off on installing any rearsets or lower handlebars for now. Maybe some day, but it's hardly a pressing issue.

Appearance wise -- I vacillate between finding it attractive and considering it to be a bit ugly. It might be that aluminum frame that I consider unattractive (though it's certainly light). Or it might be the oddly shaped fuel tank that appears so wide when sitting on the bike. Especially when combined with the weirdly shaped ram air ducts at the bottom front of the tank. Or it might be that blue and silver paint scheme. The blue is fine, but the silver is just sort of laying there, to my thinking. It's also starting to seem something of a common finish from Yamaha. Many MT-07's have the same paint scheme, and in that case, the MT-07's look even less attractive (to me). The blue is fine, but it's easy for me to consider changing the silver tank color to almost anything else. White, maybe. Or a glossy mirrorized dark silver paint color, as seen on the Kaw H2. (If a new color is still kinda silver, then no changes need be made to the green book).

Most reviews of the MT-09 that I've read find a variety of faults with the instrument panel. Difficult to read, off center, and etc. I've had no problems, personally. The tachometer line is easily seen by me, and I love having a gear indicator (the Ninja didn't have one). There's also a whole host of stuff that I've yet to use. Air temp indicator, current time, the usual trip odometers, a couple of different fuel usage indicators, etc. The instrument panel seems just fine to me.

Most reviews I've read also fault the MT-09 for having soft (cheap?) suspension and poorly performing brakes. Again, this has not been my experience. The brakes can stop the bike in a very big hurry. And I'm not really Johnny Roadracer, so I've little if any reason to fault the suspension. It seems more than fine to me. Most of my riding is touring, and I anticipate no problems there. Nor do I anticipate any significant problems when slogging the bike through curves on mountain roads.

Most reviews also cite the transmission as a wonderful thing to behold. Again, not quite my experience. It seems much less easy to find neutral at a stop light than was the Ninja, and too, the transmission sometimes "sings" in different gears. Maybe when I shift to fourth, I'll get a bit of a whining sound. Not always. The same is the case for third, fifth and sixth gears. Sometimes an upper gear will whine a bit after shifting. Sometimes not. I think it's the "sometimes" aspect of this whining that most bothers me. I'll ask the service department about it when I take it in for its 1,000KM servicing.

The single most fantastic thing about the bike is surely the engine. It's an 847cc triple. The internet reports power to be ~86 kW (113.5-115HP) at 10,000RPM, while torque is reported as 88 N m (65 ft lb) at 8,500RPM. (My Ninja 650 had 53.0 kW (71HP) @ 8,500RPM, with torque said to be 66 N m (48.7 lb ft) @ 7,000RPM.) I dunno, but my butt reports the MT-09 to be pretty much capable of being screaming fast. I mean, it's a new bike. I'm still getting used to it, the tires are still being broken in, the rings may still be in the process of seating, and etc. I have not pushed it very hard thus far. But I've found out a few things... Like that it will go at least 105KPH in first gear (there was some room left before I would have hit redline). The thing seems to have so much torque that I almost think I could just put it in fourth and leave it there all the time, from stop to 150KPH, anyway. Leaving a gas station a few days back, I needed to cross three lanes of a highway to get into a right turn lane. Dialing things in with my butt in the same way I would have on the Ninja, I saw an adequate space between cars, gave it enough gas to move the Ninja that far a bit quickly, and went. The bike fairly lunged across the three lanes of traffic all at once, and BOOM! -- I was in the turn lane, somewhat unexpectedly trying to reign things in, thinking "holy crap" to myself once stopped. Which is to say, power delivery is pretty much instantaneous and as massive as you either intend or accidentally let it be. Another example: My wife long ago developed the habit of hitting me in the side when she thinks I'm going too fast. The speed at which this occurs usually varies with engine speed and curves in the road, not actual speed. Cruising down a straight road the other day at about 45-50KPH in fourth with her on the back, I hit a very small bump or simple irregularity in the road. This caused my throttle hand to move ever so slightly, which instantly caused the bike to kind of lunge forward a bit. Before I could dial the throttle back to where it was, my wife was hitting me in the side.

The bike has three "performance modes." "A" mode is alleged to offer the most performance, while "B" mode offers the greatest fuel economy and lowest performance, and then there's "standard mode," which is some sort of middle ground between A and B, I assume. B mode is plenty fine for me, really, and I spend most of my time there. And again, I'm still in the break-in period. If I had to complain about the engine at all, it would be that it always starts in "standard mode." I'd rather it resumed operation in whatever mode had been selected before. That's a very small complaint, really. Oh... Spending most of my time in B mode, the bike's fuel economy indicator is so far reporting between 20 and 22 KM per liter. Not that different from the Ninja 650.

Top speed, by the way, is reported as somewhere around 240-260KPH on the Internet. I wouldn't know, and have no plans to go that fast. I assume, however, that the bike could go faster with different gearing, ECU's, etc. That is, change the gearing, and I'm sure the engine would still have enough oomph to pull it to the maximum faster speed. Between gearing and a different ECU, a top speed of 280+ KPH seems possible. I'm not going to do that, but you folks can let me know how it turns out.

Other thoughts:

The seat just isn't gonna cut it, long term. Too thin and hard for long distance riding, I think, and even thinner and harder for the passenger. The seat is scheduled to be rebuilt in a couple of weeks.

Aftermarket parts -- things like windscreens, frame sliders, exhaust systems, etc. -- are a bit more difficult to come by here in Thailand, and especially in Chiang Mai. Most shops seem to limit their stock to stuff for Hondas and Kawasakis. I did buy an aftermarket flyscreen from a shop in Hong Kong via eBay for about 1,060 Baht. For that price, I judge it to be adequate, but if I'd paid much more, I'd probably be pretty unhappy with it.

The exhaust system is extremely quiet. So much so that it sounds to me more like a sewing machine than a motorcycle. Albeit, a sewing machine with 115 or so HP. Still, I wish it was a bit louder. Yamaha has an Akropovich exhaust that they'd just love to sell me for 45,000 Baht. I think no... It's both expensive and still fairly quiet. (Also reported as included free on MT-09's bought in Europe, but TiT...) A slip-on is possible, but installing one requires one cut the muffler off the header pipes. There are a few full systems available in Thailand for less than 20,000 Baht, but I need to visit Bangkok to see/hear what they sound and look like before I buy any. But maybe keeping the massive stock exhaust is the way to go. I like the idea of it having a catalytic converter, actually, here in these warmer and warmer times. The police are also less likely to bother me. And there are web pages discussing how to modify the stock exhaust to give it a better sound. I dunno. Wait and see...

Summary:

Reviews often compare the MT-09 to the Z800, to the Ducati Streetfighter 848, to the Triumph 675 (I think) Speed Triple. While not saying anything really bad about the Z800, they report that the Streetfighter feels narrower, more refined, and "you get what you pay for" (I believe that Streetfighter goes for 550,000 Baht or more). They are also invariably in love with the handling of the Triumph Street Triple. They usually fault the MT-09 for being cheaply constructed to achieve the lowest price possible and complain about the various details mentioned above. When the engine's performance and the bike's "low price" are factored in, however, they're usually ready to plop down the money for the MT-09, even if they have to change the suspension and etc., because while it might not be the best of the bikes in the comparison, they think it's a good value for the money.

Overall, I think it's a good value for the money as well. Would I buy it again? Absolutely! You bet!!! Though I still miss the Ninja 650, as well as the people and service received at the Chiang Mai Kawasaki shop. Other shops usually seem much less attentive or responsive.

I'm just reporting my experience and thoughts here, of course. Your experiences and thoughts on these thoughts are free to vary.

[Nickymaster]

The Z800 is a very good bike. A bit heavy but I have read many positive reviews.

You have only done 500kms. IMO to little to judge the bike. You will find out that the gearbox becomes much smoother at around 1500 kms.

Yes Japanese bikes are very quiet. All to do with Japanese noise regulations. An aftermarket exhaust is a must imo.

The MT-09 really is a very good bike with a great engine. Report back when you have done 2000+ clicks.

(Wear proper gear)

Edited May 23, 2016 by Nickymaster

[papa al]

"even when the Ninja had new wheel bearings."

[bramds]

Can't wait to get mine next month

[RedQualia]

"even when the Ninja had new wheel bearings."

Every 40,000 KM.

[Generalchaos]

Nice review, very nice bike!

[canthai55]

"even when the Ninja had new wheel bearings."

Every 40,000 KM

Good man. Nice to see someone esle who does preventive maintenance. Do the same with tires and brakes.

Too many try and squeak by - saving what, a few Baht - while they fly down the road at a buck and a half.

[maximillian]

Great review Red Qualia. Thanks a lot.

I wouldn't have any complaints about the looks and the colour of the bike.

Yes, the pillion seat doesn't look too comfortable for a long trip.

Take it easy and be safe wherever you go.

Max

[hkt83100]

Yes Japanese bikes are very quiet. All to do with Japanese noise regulations. An aftermarket exhaust is a must imo.

I hate to read this. For me, a bike cannot be too quiet. A Tesla bike would be nice...

[DILLIGAD]

Yes Japanese bikes are very quiet. All to do with Japanese noise regulations. An aftermarket exhaust is a must imo.

I hate to read this. For me, a bike cannot be too quiet. A Tesla bike would be nice...

Not talking about excessive but I feel a lot safer if someone can hear me.

[Briggsy]

Fantastic review. You should be paid for stuff like that.

I was pondering getting a Suzuki SFV 650 or SV 650 A later on this year to replace (or possibly even compliment) my CB 500 X. However, there is no reason stopping me from going up further in terms of power, torque and cc.

You have planted a seed in my mind.

[rhodie]

Thanks for taking the time. Great feedback.

[RedQualia]

Yes Japanese bikes are very quiet. All to do with Japanese noise regulations. An aftermarket exhaust is a must imo.

I hate to read this. For me, a bike cannot be too quiet. A Tesla bike would be nice...

There are many things to be said in favor of "quiet," or at least reduced noise. Still, I prefer motorcycles that sound like motorcycles, Corvettes that sound like Corvettes, and etc. I had a Tsukigi slip-on on the Ninja. I kept the silencer inside, but imagine most of the fiberglass packing was blown out of the muffler long ago, and seriously doubt that it would pass any proper sound test for licensing. It could be quite loud when I wanted it to be, but was much quieter most of the time. In any case, I stopped to ask a cop directions in Bangkok a few months ago and when departing, the cop looked at the bike, smiled, gave me a thumbs up, and said "sounds good!"

Beyond that, I am of the opinion that automobile and other drivers should be aware of any motorcycles around them, and that louder exhausts help in that regard. People sometimes want to argue about whether that's true or not. I dunno, but generally, the advice given for what to do when one meets a mountain lion, etc, is to stand up tall, to group as many around you as possible so as to appear bigger and more visible, to wave your arms around, and to make lots of noise.

It is hostile territory out there on the roads, and so the same advice seems applicable when riding a motorcycle in traffic, and especially in Thailand, where the person in the car beside you may be unlicensed and oblivious to what the law says or what they should do in any given instance, is probably uninsured, possibly drunk at either 9PM or 9AM, talking on their mobile while driving 30KPH half way in the "fast lane" and half way in the "slow lane" in a 90KPH zone, going to the far left lane to execute a right turn or vice versa (while continuing to talk on their mobile when somewhat inebriated), and etc. Seems to me best to both be seen and heard. I may not wear a dayglo red vest as safety advisors often recommend, but nor do I wear black clothing or ride a black motorcycle (my Ninja was white). Drivers (car, truck, motorbike - doesn't matter what) are often not going to see motorcyclists anyway, and so it's good to be heard as well. Compared to being in an accident, the "right" of other drivers to hear each other when slurring words into their mobile phones, etc, is relatively unimportant to me.

I really do appreciate your quest for quiet. Honest! If you're actually a motorcyclist, however, you might want to reconsider. If not now, then perhaps later, after you've been T-boned by a Camry or you've slid down a highway at 100KPH for a while. Typically on roads anywhere, but especially in Thailand, the only one who cares whether you live or die is you. Making some noise may help in that regard, and certainly won't reduce your odds of survival.

[RedQualia]

Fantastic review. You should be paid for stuff like that.

I was pondering getting a Suzuki SFV 650 or SV 650 A later on this year to replace (or possibly even compliment) my CB 500 X. However, there is no reason stopping me from going up further in terms of power, torque and cc.

You have planted a seed in my mind.

I had a few Suzukis back in the world. Generally liked each of them. I'm sure the Suzuki 650s would be great bikes. Price is something to think about, however... A Suzuki 650 V-Strom for 365,000, or an 850 MT-09 for 399,000? A Z800 for 373,000 and up, or that MT-09 for 399,000 again? A Ducati Monster for 469,000 and up, or that MT-09 once again? Maybe that basic Kaw 650 for 271,000 or so? The MT-09 seems kinda pricey to me, actually. A lot of money to spend on a motorcycle. And yet it's a bargain at the same time.

My concern in Thailand, though, is the degree to which one can have their bike serviced/repaired. As I noted in the original post, Suzuki abandoned the Thai market some years ago. They're back now, but who can say for how long? I have the same concern about Yamaha, to be honest, but there are several Yamaha big bike dealers around these days, and they appear to be making an effort. It's good to be able to get service in Udon, Ubon, Khon Kaen, Loei, Phitsanulok, et al, of course, but there are plenty of places where you're going to be flat out of luck in terms of service, no matter what you ride.

A possibly more important but related issue is simply the availability of parts. I don't much care for the idea of needing say, clutch parts for a BMW, Suzuki, Harley, Royal Enfield, or whatever, then finding out that I must order them from some other continent (eBay? Seriously???), then waiting 3-6 months for the parts to arrive, and then finding out that the parts shipped were the wrong parts. Those kinds of problems would be my biggest concern regarding Suzukis here, and Yamahas, too, to be honest. A fellow down south had to wait six months to get the necessary parts to get his Yamaha Tenere back on the road. Another guy, a year or so back, had a broken Suzuki 650 in Laos, and was posting reports on flying from Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur to pick up parts his friends in Australia had put on a plane for him, then back to Vientiane. These things don't sound like much fun to me...

Personally, I'm convinced that Kawasaki has the best big bike dealer/service network in Thailand, hands down, with Honda (and maybe Ducati now) running a distant second, Yamaha following, and Suzuki trailing in a serious, serious way. Availability of parts will also vary by model. It's going to be easier to find parts for a Kaw 650 than say, a Kaw 1000 of some sort, simply because the 650s are more common, an older design, made in Thailand, and etc. Even with Kawasaki 650s, however, it was/is sometimes necessary to wait for this or that little oddball part to arrive from Japan or wherever. I don't even want to think about Benelli and the other less common brands.

These concerns are really the only ones I have with regard to any of the various motorcycle brands here in Thailand. There were no Honda big bike shops when I first moved to Thailand, only a few scattered Suzuki motorbike shops (no big bikes at all, and no Suzuki shops of any kind in Chiang Mai). Zero Ducati shops of any kind, anywhere. The only Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, Harley big bikes around were those imported by individuals. Very few Yamaha big bike shops, and they might or might not have had any big bikes available.

Times do change, however. I'm thinking that by and by, the Yamaha 850 triples may become more common here in Thailand, with service and parts easier to come by. Maybe not in Phetchabun or Kalasin, but generally.

Good luck with whatever you decide on!

[Briggsy]

Thanks again for the above post.

I asked the guy in Suzuki Pattaya (aka a Mit Yon dealer that happens to shift Suzuki big bikes) how the Suzukis were selling. He said the V-Strom is the seller. This didn't surprise me as I know people who have bought them. But I was interested in the naked 650. Previously they sold the SFV (aka Gladius) for 319,000 and now they have the SFV 650 A for 289,000. They are basically the same bike although differ in looks. He, the salesman, thought for a moment and then said we sold 2, ....., in Sattahip,......, but only 1 in Pattaya. No time scale was given. They have been on sale here for 3 or 4 years. Was he referring to "ever" in Thailand? I immediately thought about parts and servicing as you discussed above. If they sell very few, how and who will be servicing them?

Still undecided. But a decision will be taken later this year.

[jeffconnors]

Yes Japanese bikes are very quiet. All to do with Japanese noise regulations. An aftermarket exhaust is a must imo.

I hate to read this. For me, a bike cannot be too quiet. A Tesla bike would be nice...

Not talking about excessive but I feel a lot safer if someone can hear me.

Take a look at the Hurt Report from many years ago...still valid results. Good for you if you feel better about making noise. Can't hurt anyone but annoy other non riders.

[RedQualia]

Yes Japanese bikes are very quiet. All to do with Japanese noise regulations. An aftermarket exhaust is a must imo.

I hate to read this. For me, a bike cannot be too quiet. A Tesla bike would be nice...

Not talking about excessive but I feel a lot safer if someone can hear me.

Take a look at the Hurt Report from many years ago...still valid results. Good for you if you feel better about making noise. Can't hurt anyone but annoy other non riders.

Thanks. The Hurt Report doesn't say anything about loud exhaust, either pro or con, but still good reading, and especially for new motorcyclists. The full text can be viewed here: http://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/NHTSA/013695.pdf

[RedQualia]

A few followup comments on the initial review:

- I forgot to mention that the MT-09 now does have ABS brakes. Older models apparently do not.

- I should say also that the MT-09 is not a beginner's bike. While it might be possible for a newbie to learn how to ride on an MT-09 without having an accident, this seems quite unlikely. The bike is often referred to a wheelie machine and can lift the front no problem in first, second, third and even fourth gear. While you do not have to pop wheelies, they can and do occur by accident. More generally, it will be quite easy for an MT-09 to get away from an inexperienced rider, and perhaps sometimes, even experienced riders. If you have no experience on say, at least a 500cc or larger motorcycle, I cannot recommend the MT-09 for you.

- An older, and somewhat amusing video review of the MT-09 can be found here:

The reviewer is a European with about one year of riding experience. Lots of "interesting comments" in the video and good for a few or several smiles/laughs. So enthusiastic!

But note that while he seems to love the bike greatly, he decides in the end that because he only has one year of riding experience, it's not the bike for him.

[DILLIGAD]

Great (funny) review and there are many more by Cager on YT.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BKKBike09]

Good review - this was mine after a year http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/824462-yamaha-fz09-one-year-on/

IMO the MT-09 is a pretty good deal, in the general scheme of things in Thailand, at THB 399,000, particularly now it also has ABS. I wish they'd launched it at that price!

[BKKBike09]

PS - "... the weirdly shaped ram air ducts at the bottom front of the tank" … since these are purely cosmetic and don't duct air you can, if you like, relocate the horn into the duct on the LH side. It does muffle the sound a bit but it's a pretty feeble horn anyway, and it tidies up the front of the bike.

[DILLIGAD]

Is/has the XSR900 been released here in Thailand, if so at what price?

[RedQualia]

PS - "... the weirdly shaped ram air ducts at the bottom front of the tank" … since these are purely cosmetic and don't duct air you can, if you like, relocate the horn into the duct on the LH side. It does muffle the sound a bit but it's a pretty feeble horn anyway, and it tidies up the front of the bike.

Thanks for the link to your review. I didn't see it when doing a search here for "MT-09." Maybe just missed it.

Still new to the MT-09 and a lot of years since I last owned a Yamaha anything. I had no idea the air ducts are fake. I suppose Yamaha must be trying to achieve that "Ford Torino" look... The only thing I can think of that I'd consider as cheesy as fake air ducts / hood scoops would probably be carbon fiber lookalike stickers. And so I'm now wondering why they have the fake air ducts... I've found no real aftermarket fairings for the MT-09, so that must not be why, and the Tracer uses a completely different fuel tank with a larger capacity, so it's not for compatibility with that design either. Now almost thinking that I'd prefer to just take the air ducts off, but I've no idea what's under them, nor how to make the fuel tank "look right" without them. I probably won't be changing the air ducts at all (I don't want to depreciate the thing too quickly!), but really disappointing that a "visually significant" part of the bike serves no purpose.

[bramds]

Is/has the XSR900 been released here in Thailand, if so at what price?

Not coming any time soon.

It is actually because they don't bring it here, that I bought the MT-09.

[pbas400]

Is/has the XSR900 been released here in Thailand, if so at what price?

same, i like the XSR 700...but seems for the European market only

[BKKBike09]

PS - "... the weirdly shaped ram air ducts at the bottom front of the tank" … since these are purely cosmetic and don't duct air you can, if you like, relocate the horn into the duct on the LH side. It does muffle the sound a bit but it's a pretty feeble horn anyway, and it tidies up the front of the bike.

Thanks for the link to your review. I didn't see it when doing a search here for "MT-09." Maybe just missed it.

Still new to the MT-09 and a lot of years since I last owned a Yamaha anything. I had no idea the air ducts are fake. I suppose Yamaha must be trying to achieve that "Ford Torino" look... The only thing I can think of that I'd consider as cheesy as fake air ducts / hood scoops would probably be carbon fiber lookalike stickers. And so I'm now wondering why they have the fake air ducts... I've found no real aftermarket fairings for the MT-09, so that must not be why, and the Tracer uses a completely different fuel tank with a larger capacity, so it's not for compatibility with that design either. Now almost thinking that I'd prefer to just take the air ducts off, but I've no idea what's under them, nor how to make the fuel tank "look right" without them. I probably won't be changing the air ducts at all (I don't want to depreciate the thing too quickly!), but really disappointing that a "visually significant" part of the bike serves no purpose.

I think I've always posted using 'FZ09' since that's what we get here (not the Euro model MT-09).

The LH (LH as you sit on the bike) has the air temp sensor inside it but not much else, hence there being enough room to re-locate the stock horn. The RH one has fuses in it. So they do have some purpose, albeit not much!

BTW the fz09.org forum is a really good resource.

[RedQualia]

PS - "... the weirdly shaped ram air ducts at the bottom front of the tank" … since these are purely cosmetic and don't duct air you can, if you like, relocate the horn into the duct on the LH side. It does muffle the sound a bit but it's a pretty feeble horn anyway, and it tidies up the front of the bike.

Thanks for the link to your review. I didn't see it when doing a search here for "MT-09." Maybe just missed it.

Still new to the MT-09 and a lot of years since I last owned a Yamaha anything. I had no idea the air ducts are fake. I suppose Yamaha must be trying to achieve that "Ford Torino" look... The only thing I can think of that I'd consider as cheesy as fake air ducts / hood scoops would probably be carbon fiber lookalike stickers. And so I'm now wondering why they have the fake air ducts... I've found no real aftermarket fairings for the MT-09, so that must not be why, and the Tracer uses a completely different fuel tank with a larger capacity, so it's not for compatibility with that design either. Now almost thinking that I'd prefer to just take the air ducts off, but I've no idea what's under them, nor how to make the fuel tank "look right" without them. I probably won't be changing the air ducts at all (I don't want to depreciate the thing too quickly!), but really disappointing that a "visually significant" part of the bike serves no purpose.

I think I've always posted using 'FZ09' since that's what we get here (not the Euro model MT-09).

The LH (LH as you sit on the bike) has the air temp sensor inside it but not much else, hence there being enough room to re-locate the stock horn. The RH one has fuses in it. So they do have some purpose, albeit not much!

BTW the fz09.org forum is a really good resource.

Nomenclature for the bike is a bit confusing. MT-09, MT-09 Tracer, FZ09, FZ09 Tracer... Looked at some "previous daily rentals" before buying new. All looked tired and seemed like the fellow doing the selling wanted too much for them, to me. But all were labeled "FZ09," and I wondered where they had come from. 2014's, I believe.

Have looked a bit at fz09.org. Most recently, on the subject of stock exhaust modifications. Lots of conversation about cutting off the tip (which they refer to as a DB silencer" for some reason), and installing a fatter one, with some cutting off more, some less, one guy digging into the muffler behind the tip with a dremel (http://www.fz09.org/forum/32-yamaha-fz-09-guides-how-s/1020-how-modify-your-stock-exhaust.html), and another guy suggesting that people just drill holes around the muffler tip for better sound. Drilling holes doesn't quite seem kosher, but I can't say it sounds worse that attacking the muffler's insides with a dremel. Another thread somewhere discusses cutting off the bottom of the stock muffler, installing a fat perforated tube and packing fiberglass around it, then welding everything shut. Gonna pass on that idea.

I've only had the bike for about a month, and have been too busy with other things to do much with it, including ride it. I'm not completely sure what I want to do about the exhaust system, but the more I think about it, the more I consider welding the stock muffler to the header pipes to be a (slight) design defect. I'm considering cutting the two apart, then, and installing a sleeve inside to attach the muffler (stock or otherwise) to the headers. Just seems more proper to me, for whatever reason, and once done, any number of slip-ons either louder or quieter could be installed.

Idle thoughts...

[eeeya]

"Another thread somewhere discusses cutting off the bottom of the stock muffler, installing a fat perforated tube and packing fiberglass around it, then welding everything shut. Gonna pass on that idea."

This is quite a popular idea in Bangkok for the CBR650F for those wanting to retain the exhaust underneath the bike instead of cutting off the stock muffler and putting on a slip on exhaust to the rear.

check google "bypass full system cb650F" for the shops which do this. cost is around 3500 baht and is quite popular. They will do it to any kind of stock muffler and the quality and reviews are quite good.

I plan on doing this to my 650 soon rather than the slip on.

[Holmsedale25]

Glad you like the MT. I took delivery of the 1st Blue model in Chonburi (maybe Thailand) and have loved every minute of it. Added the Carbon Akrapovic, Puig Screen, crash bobbins, adjustable clutch & brake levers, with an Ohlins rear shock and a Rizoma Tail Tidy my latest purchases (but not installed on the attached photo).

I was first hooked on the MT-09 when taking a look at my mates in Melbourne. Looks are not for everyone (i love it though) but the torque just puts a big grin on my face everytime i open that Throttle. I have only recently weened myself off of Standard Mode and into A. A mode is nuts abd may need (for me) lower bars to keep some weight over the front.

As a big Ducati fan this makes for a very creditable alternative.

[Holmsedale25]

Here she is.....?